I live in a small house. It is two bedrooms, one is the master, the other serves as an office. When we have company over, the only choice for them to sleep on is the couch or the floor. That’s where air beds come in. I can pull out the deflated air bed and have it pumped up in minutes and suddenly, a comfortable bed for my guest to sleep on. So, if you are looking for a easy to hide, but comfortable alternative to a regular bed, then try an air bed.

In 1909, Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett collaborated with the Commercial Club of Chicago and others to create a new plan for the greater Chicago region. The year 2009 will be it’s 100 year anniversary and Chicago is celebrating. One only has to look to Chicago’s  and Cook County Forest Preserves to see the success.

From the website, The Burnham Plan Centennial celebrates the Bold Plans and Big Dreams that shaped metropolitan Chicago for the past century and challenges our region’s communities, leaders and institutions to build on the success of the Burnham Plan and act boldly together to shape our future.

The centerpieces, whose designs were recently released, will be focal points of the celebration. The two temporary pavilions in Millennium Park designed by renowned architects Zaha Hadid and Ben van Berkel, UNStudio will open to the public on June 19, 2009 and close October 31.

Now you can grow your plants right in the same pot that lights your home. LightPot is a minimalist table lamp, with a bed of soil for tending to your plants. LightPot uses LED lights, and can collapse down on itself when not in use. Created by designers Studio Shulab, LightPot still a prototype.

Vessel Ideation out of Chicago won first place honors at this year’s World Kitchen Tea-Off with their pot-and-kettle combo aptly called One.

The One both boils and serves. To let you know the water is ready, the pattern on the outside of the pot becomes visible once the water is at boiling. This is in lieu of a whistle. Very cool.

If you can’t get DSL or Cable internet then you might want to consider HughesNet. HughesNet offers lightning fast Internet access via satellite to every corner of the U.S. With Satellite Internet, there isn’t any more dial up or dropped connections. And, no more waiting for high speed Internet to arrive in your town, or if it  will ever arrive in your town.

HughesNet utilizes the latest in satellite internet technology, which enables them to provide affordable, fast connections. This is done by using both spotbeam and conus delivery systems on over 13 satellites. That allows them to provide a very secure, very fast, two-way High-Speed Satellite Internet Connection. So no more waiting, slow phone lines, expensive ISDN lines, or cable companies. Always on and available anywhere in the USA. Sounds good!